Inside Xander Schauffele’s triumph | Seen & Heard on the Open Championship

Welcome to GOLF.com’s “Seen & Heard” video collection, wherein we provide you with an inside have a look at golf’s largest occasions by means of the eyes and ears of our onsite crew. On deck this week: the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon.

ICYMI: Tiger talks, Rory’s confession | Seen & Heard on the Open Championship Day 1
ICYMI: Scheffler’s rust, MacIntyre’s wild celebration | Seen & Heard on the Open Championship Day 2
ICYMI: Tiger’s main letdown, Lowry battles | Seen & Heard on the Open Championship

The 54-hole mark of the 2024 Open Championship introduced quite a few what-ifs. Billy Horschel led the cost by a single shot, however there have been a dozen gamers who you can argue had a reputable likelihood of claiming the title.

After a brutal day of climate on Saturday, Sunday was dry, with whipping wind. Eighteen holes remained to crown the champion.

GOLF’s Sean Zak was bullish on Xander Schauffele’s possibilities from the start.

“You play hyperlinks golf, it’s all about controlling a golf ball. It’s an underrated ability,” he stated. “I feel Xander’s gonna pip ’em at the moment.”

Zak’s prediction performed out, and Xander Schauffele was topped Champion Golfer of the 12 months by two photographs — incomes his second main championship title and leaving his chasers, like Shane Lowry and Justin Rose, upset however happy with their efforts.

As for Schauffele, he was content material to bask within the afterglow of the win.

“It actually is among the coolest emotions I’ve ever had in my life,” he stated. “I acquired chills strolling down [18].

“I’m simply curious to see what my dad’s gonna decide as a primary drink to drink out of this.”

GOLFs’ James Colgan caught up with Schauffele’s father, Stefan, after the spherical, and he issued a shocking prediction.

“He stated, of all of the golfers alive proper now, Xander is the closest to finishing the profession grand slam,” Colgan stated. “After which he checked out me after he stated that, with a smile, and stated, ‘How about that?’”

How about that, certainly.

Schauffele and his friends have an extended anticipate the subsequent main check on the Masters in 2025. Earlier than that, we’ve got the Olympics, the FedEx Cup and the Presidents Cup to take pleasure in. However for these of us intrigued by Stefan Schauffele’s prediction, the countdown to Augusta begins … now.

To observe a video of the GOLF’s crew full Sunday expertise on the Open, try the video above. It’s also possible to view the “Seen & Heard” collection in its entirety on YouTube right here.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of feminine varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everybody on the masthead. She will be able to out-hustle them within the workplace, too, the place she’s primarily accountable for producing each print and on-line options, and overseeing main particular initiatives, corresponding to GOLF’s inaugural Model Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview collection, “A Spherical With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in each within the journal and in video type on GOLF.com.